System Fall

On the next rooftop, a chaotic battle unfolded all I around me. I responded immediately. I dodged and moved my way through the swarm of Rooftop Wasps. Legender was a blur of movement as the blade slashed against mandibles and tore into the bodies of the monsters.

I was precise.

Each strike was calculated, aimed at maximizing damage and minimizing my own energy use. The momentum of one attack carried into the next. Despite the apparent ease with which I dispatched the creatures, I could feel the accumulated strain of the continuous challenges weighing on me.

I could sense the relief from the rest of the group as I took some of the pressure off Kenney. His face, flushed and drenched in sweat, displayed signs of exhaustion as he wielded his sledgehammer against the relentless onslaught. However, with the Rooftop Wasps temporarily diverted by my intervention, he had a momentary respite to catch his breath.

The Rooftop Wasps buzzed around, their movements becoming more erratic as I continued to decimate their numbers. They launched attacks from different angles, trying to overwhelm me with their sheer numbers. But my years of experience as a swordsman allowed me to anticipate their moves and react swiftly, always staying one step ahead.

As I carved my way through the swarm of Rooftop Wasps, I looked over towards Lydia with a more grudging respect. She faced the Rooftop Wasps head on while wielding Last Kiss in one hand and a common knife in the other. Each strike was almost as deadly as mine and beneath her blades, Rooftop Wasps fell in droves.

Although it appeared we had a partnership, there was an underlying and unsaid tension between us. Lydia was more than just a player, she was a player killer whom had killed before, and would kill again. It seemed in the meantime there was always an unspoken understanding that our alliance was temporary and conditional.

Lydia's precise strikes with the Last Kiss dagger proved devastating to the Rooftop Wasps, adding to the chaos of battle. While I couldn't deny her skill, I remained cautious, keeping an eye on her every move. Our alliance might be necessary for now, but I knew that our paths would eventually diverge, and I had to be prepared for that moment and I assumed that just as much as I tracked what she could do, she did the same to me.

I had my own battle as well.

As the fallen bodies of the creatures accumulated around me, I realized that the battle was far from over. The swarm seemed endless, their relentless assault indicating a level of coordination that was unusual for creatures of their kind. It became apparent that there was something more at play here, something beyond a simple swarm of monsters.

I took a brief moment to glance at Kenney, who had momentarily shifted his attention from his own battle to observe mine. His begrudging acknowledgment of my strength and gratitude for the rest I had given him was just another thing.

The swarm pressed on against me. I Ished myself further, channeling every ounce of energy and expertise into my swordplay. Legender, a weapon that had become an extension of myself, years, danced through the air, leaving a trail of destruction in its wake. Limbs were severed, wings were clipped, and heads were sent rolling as I pressed on, unyielding. Every swing, every parry, and every dodge was an echo of the skill I’d had in my first life.

We were winning.

But even so, I couldn't shake off the feeling that there was something different about these Rooftop Wasps, something that went beyond their numbers and swarming.

I made a mental note to investigate and analyze the situation once the battle subsided. There had to be a reason for the sudden surge in aggression and coordination among these creatures. It was possible that a greater force was manipulating them, or perhaps there was an underlaying cause

But for now, my focus remained on the battle at hand. The swarm showed no signs of relenting and even more of the monsters crawled up through vents on the roofs to join with the rest, almost as if the building below us was some kind of hive.

Kenney yelled as loud as he could. "Move! Everyone, get out of the way!" He hollered, dodging an incoming wasp, swinging his sledgehammer with lethal precision. "But don't stop fighting!"

Lydia echoed what he said, "Nick's pulling most of them in!" She shouted, urging the rest of the group to get into better position but to remain engaged in the fight.

As I propelled myself into the air, I activated my Eyes of Legacy. My enhanced view and insight let me anticipate the movements of the Rooftop Wasps.  I lunged forward, and slashed, and dodged and slashed again.

I jumped again, this time off a crumbling ornate half wall. The wall crumbling under the force of my leap. The world blurred around me as I zeroed in on the swarm. A Rooftop Wasp dived at me, its jaws gaping, its eyes black with primal instinct. In a swift, seamless maneuver I countered.

My blade found the wasp's neck, slicing through it and sending a spray of toxic green ichor showering down. The venom sizzled and steamed as it corroded the rooftop below, and the decapitated wasp fell, its wings still twitching.

Twisting mid-air, I managed to land on a nearby air conditioner unit. From this new perch, the rest of the wasps looked like a dark curtain, and with Legender raised, I stood ready for the onslaught.

They came in droves. Their stingers clashed against Legender's edge, each deflected attack cut into the dark stingers. Each swing of my sword sent a shower of acidic blood splattering against the buildings, leaving corrosive trails where it splattered.

A Rooftop Wasp targeted my back, but my Eyes of Legacy forewarned me of its impending attack. In a fraction of a second, I spun around, cleaving the creature in half mid-air. There wasn’t just the satisfaction of survival in the carnage, there was a bit of fun too.

“Anyone keeping a kill score?” I shouted out.

However, my momentary triumph was cut short as the Rooftop Wasps changed the way they were fighting. Instead of coming at me and for me. They unleashed a barrage of stingers in a hail of projectiles, transforming the battle once again.

Against a foe using distance, the only answer is to run away, or close the distance, and I wasn’t going to run. Instead, I moved to close the distance, running as fast as I could forward towards the swarm, forcing them to switch to a more defensive posture to counter me.

In front of me, the stingers of the Rooftop Wasps began to glow with a red aura of power and homed in on me.

For one of the first times, I was dumbfounded by what I was seeing.

The realization of what exactly I was seeing hit me hard. These creatures were utilizing mana, harnessing its power to enhance their attacks. The integration of mana into their offensive capabilities was an unexpected development. Things had gotten deadlier for everyone.

I focused more of my own mana into the Eyes of Legacy. Time seemed to slow down and the stringers moved at a much slower pace. I reacted, not wanting to waste even a second. I swung my sword skillfully, transforming it from an offensive weapon into a protective shield. The blade intercepted the incoming projectiles, deflecting them away from me.

Finally, after much of the curtain had been diverted, I fell to the ground, my heart pounding, my breathing heavy. Sweat trickled down my face, mixing with the dust and grime of the asphalt. The encounter had pushed me to my limits, and I realized that I needed to reassess my strategies.

Catching my breath, I scanned the battlefield, taking stock of the situation. The swarm of Rooftop Wasps remained relentless, and their integration of mana into their attacks meant that the threat they posed had escalated significantly. It was clear that I needed to adapt my approach and find a way to counter their mana-infused abilities.

While I contemplated my next move, I also thought that there was a greater force at play, something that had pushed for the appearance of these mana-using creatures. There had to be a reason why they had emerged with those abilities before the expected phase of System Fall. Uncovering the truth behind this anomaly became as crucial as overcoming the immediate threat.

The appearance of mana-using enemies at this stage of the game was completely unexpected. According to the life I had known, enemies utilizing mana should only emerge in the second phase of System Fall. Yet, here they were, displaying a clear level of low-tier magic use.

I pondered the implications of this discovery. It was one thing for creatures to mutate due to exposure to mana in uncleared zones, resulting in grotesque monstrosities. But for them to integrate mana into their offensive and defensive abilities was an entirely different matter.

Mana, in its raw form, is categorized on a multi-faceted colored spectrum, ranging from the G-Rank at Red at its most basic, all the way up to the elusive and legendary S-Rank at violent. Each rank signifies an escalation in mana's intensity, encapsulating the awe-inspiring power growth potential within each successive category. From my previous experiences, I always believed that there was something transcending even the SSS-Rank, although it remained uncharted territory, a summit untouched.

Whispers among us players had suggested a rank beyond even what most had every attempted. The grade referred to as SSS, the Prismatic Rank. The Prismatic Rank carries connotations of a color spectrum, indicative of its vast potential and varied capabilities. This unattainable achievement had become my personal quest, fueling my relentless pursuit to explore the undiscovered depths of mana's potential.

The abrupt emergence of these mana-wielding enemies represented a significant turning point in my journey. It was a signal that the game's rules were shifting, evolving, heralding new and greater challenges on the horizon. Deciphering the mechanics behind this sudden advancement in mana utilization became an imperative task. Not only was it crucial for my survival, but it could also unravel the veiled mysteries of System Fall.

Kenney, undeterred by the mass of Rooftop Wasps, suddenly rummaged through his bag. With a triumphant expression, he retrieved several firebombs and a couple of homemade Molotov cocktails.

"Distract them!" he shouted, passing some of the incendiary devices to others in our group. His voice, carried an undercurrent of urgency that compelled the rest of them into immediate action.

With a curt nod from Kenney, a clear signal of ready, everyone steeled themselves. Firebombs and Molotovs were thrown into the air in a coordinated effort, arching towards the heart of the swarm. For a moment, everything seemed to slow.

I move away as quickly as I could. I had a pretty good idea about what was about to happen.

Then, the world erupted in a burst of roaring flames. Firebombs exploded mid-air, igniting the Molotov's in a blaze of fire that lit up the sky in shades of red and orange. The Rooftop Wasps were unable to counter. The Firebombs and Molotov’s had a deadly synergy that trapped the monsters in a fiery apocalypse. Their shrill cries were drowned out by the booming explosions and the crackle of the merciless flames.

The once formidable swarm thinned out, their fiery bodies sputtering out one by one. The smell of was terrible, and completely satisfying.

In the aftermath, we stood silently amidst the crackling flames, watching the remnants of the wasps smolder on the ground. Kenney broke the silence, his voice a low whisper against the backdrop of the dying fires.

"We survived..." he muttered, looking at each of us in turn. "We made it through this together. Remember this moment, next time you decide to think that none of us are worth staying around.”

"You’re a lot stronger than I thought," She stepped toward me, her dark eyes holding mine with an intensity I hadn’t seen her usual behavior completely absent, replaced by something else altogether. .

"Nick," she began, the flames from the remnants of the wasps casting flickering shadows on her face. "I... I don't say this often. "Thanks."

I nodded, acknowledging her words without adding any of my own. We were two sides of the same coin; both survivors, both holding secrets that neither of us admitted the other recognized.

"But," she continued, the hint of a smirk returning to her lips, "don't think this makes us friends, hero."

I cracked a smile, "I’ll never forget the story of the farmer and viper Lydia.”  

Kenney, his face marked with a few minor cuts and bruises, joined in the conversation. He had witnessed my battle and had his own share of struggles with the Healer earlier.

"Indeed," Kenney chimed in, begrudgingly acknowledging my contribution. "You held your ground out there. Your strength is impressive, even if it pains me to admit it."

I chuckled lightly, knowing Kenney's begrudging compliments were his way of expressing admiration. "Thanks, Kenney. High praise coming from you. But let's not dwell on it too long. We still have a lot more of these monsters to deal with.”